messed up initial install (user account)

As I mentioned in another thread, when I ran the windows 10 setup on my new (out of the box) laptop I mistakenly opted to log in with my Microsoft ID rather than setting up a local account. Having been put straight I changed the user to a local account and proceeded to install a few applications.

It wasn't until I set up Dropbox and logged in to my existing Dropbox account that I discovered that changing the user details had not changed the pathname of the user folder. Instead of c:/users/trevor (matching the new local username) the user folder was named after the first five characters of my microsoft ID's email address.

It's not obvious how to repair this, or even if it is possible, but the dissonance between the two is going to bug me for ever. Is it possible to rename it?

It's not obvious how to repair this, or even if it is possible, but the dissonance between the two is going to bug me for ever. Is it possible to rename it?

The simple answer is... no, you can't just do a rename. Each account that's created has not only a different name but a different security identifier (SID). Each SID identifies the profile to be used, including in the Windows registry. Even if you change the name within the Windows GUI, it retains the original SID behind the scenes. Whilst it's possible to amend the information throughout the registry, it's not something I would advise.

Either create a new user ID using a local account then delete the first account or, alternatively, just do a Reset (Start > Settings > Update & Security > Recovery > Reset this PC) and start over.

If you choose the first method, remember that the first account created was automatically made a member of the Administrators group... so you must make the new account a member of the Administrators group before deleting the first account otherwise you will not be able to delete the original account (due to not having the necessary privileges). Personally, the second method (Reset) may end up being easier.

As I mentioned in another thread, when I ran the windows 10 setup on my new (out of the box) laptop I mistakenly opted to log in with my Microsoft ID rather than setting up a local account. Having been put straight I changed the user to a local account and proceeded to install a few applications.

It wasn't until I set up Dropbox and logged in to my existing Dropbox account that I discovered that changing the user details had not changed the pathname of the user folder. Instead of c:/users/trevor (matching the new local username) the user folder was named after the first five characters of my microsoft ID's email address.

It's not obvious how to repair this, or even if it is possible, but the dissonance between the two is going to bug me for ever. Is it possible to rename it?

Cheers
T

What I always do is set up with a local account in my name. THEN I change to a Microsoft Account. This way my user folder has my name instead of the first five letters of my MS Account!